This might be a good idea for having "bad reviews removed".
But the OP wrote this is the Financial Times.
Meaning one of the most prominent UK based international news sources & broadsheets in
the world. Specifically they use a model editorial code IPSO -Independent Press Standards.
That code relies on ACCURACY among other things.
At it's core it's a set of Rules that newspapers and magazines and hence professional journalist
agree to adhere to.
As such, being polite does not or would not work.
A strict regimented existence dwells between a published journalist for the Financial Times & the
section editor and publisher. Articles don't get published if they can add legal jeopardy to the brand.
In this case a REP MANAGEMENT CLIENT.
It requires a lot more than politeness in this type of situation to rehabilitate the image of his client.
In fact it requires a strategic dedicated focus on not just errant detail but a BIG hyper-detail which would
persuade the papers Editorial Complaints Commissioner to correct anything which would appear to
fall into the category of a code violation under the IPSO Accuracy Clause.
Each major country has their own editorial standards body. All compliance stuff.
We're only talking UK here since that's where the FT is HQ.
It's a really technical process that I've been involved with before on the front lines as a direct liaison
between lawyers and my client. The disgruntled client was worth millions.
These are LEGAL conversations and maneuverings.
When you complain to a publication of this caliber, you are in fact complaining to a publication's
COMPLIANCE STAFF.
That's a synonym for "Veteran High Powered Lawyers & Their Underlings".
They protect the brand from lawsuits.
It's best to think of them as the publishing equivalent to the blue wall of silence which exist within USA
law enforcement. Perhaps minus the donuts.
The point is they close ranks quickly to protect their own. A business culture. Unlike the blue wall
of silence, compliance departments for branded publishers operate within the law.
Within this context you must prove on behalf of your Rep Management client that the article was
1 of 3 things glaringly.
1- A material Distortion 2- Misleading - or 3- Inaccuracy that intentionally caused your client
reputational harm within the public eye. Meaning a clear departure from facts.
If those things are true (Accuracy Clause Violations) - then you have editorial and legal cause
for correction.
Once the ink passes the editor's desk, the articles have been published in print and digital, and the
media syndication machine runs it's cycles, there is no level of politeness that can undo what has
been done.
Correction is a very hard mountain to climb as a REP MANAGEMENT PRACTITIONER because
these commissioners work for the publications.
Not only that, the FT journalist and editors work within the guidelines of professional standards to
maintain integrity and for job security.
Ironically this entire IPSO Code domain and having a skilled technique about HOW TO navigate
this Code for HIGH PROFIT on behalf of 6 & 7 digit VIP SEO agency clients, does in fact
represent perhaps the most significant LOOPHOLE for agency growth hacking opportunities
for smart post pandemic SEO Full Stack Agency practitioners.
Of course the operational know how must exist. You won't find it on Clickbank for $99.00.
When know how is secured -you have a steady proven method which is prestigious, elastic,
portable and global.
It's a remote high income skill to quietly earn top dollar using branded media as your core
conversion product while introducing SEO as part of the bundled calendared service.
Mechanically what I've outlined is a grey hat technique. It is not a black hat technique.
Unless you ignore the rules of compliance. Which is really not a smart thing to do because
if you do ignore compliance rules, you have turned a recurring cash flow loophole opportunity
into a transient method.
That means you've removed income stability from your life for the lack of maturity and
discipline.
Some international publishers are greedy (I know several) and do turn a blind eye to
reduced compliance standards in certain world markets. (I touched on this within a prior
thread regarding a $500K cash in suitcase situation intended for a prominent media boss)
But they are not legacy publishers
like the FT.
Reminds me a bit of when...
I started my SEO Marketing Svs agency in the UK so I know how this technical print / digital
publishing compliance stuff works. I know how it works at high levels and with branded media
giants like the FT specifically.
Which is precisely why this tiny thread headline tucked away with low density and little action
Caught My Eye!
------------
In fact in my own early days - during a time when I was a lean startup - (team of 3)
after UNbossing myself from corp media ad sales management.
At the time I was being very aggressive with a doctor during a remote high ticket closing
phase. The doc wanted my media products which were around $2,500 per month to start.
I hit a major bump in the road because of medical ethics Compliance Staff.
With all of their degrees they couldn't wrap their heads around a Key Part of business
growth that I then PROPOSED to my client.
The issue was technical. It involved leveraging technology to grow his practice in a way
that ran contrary to "untested legal grounds in the UK" ha ha. Yep.
I recall like it was yesterday.
The entire experience had a massive influence on gains derived from persaverence
and focus. And knowing when you are on to something BIG that others can't see in
short hand.
The emails that I received from the head of the Medical Ethics body began well, then
quickly became a constant depression.
It came from the President in fact. He and I went at it back and forth back and
forth, until we agreed to disagree on the matter. Grrrrr
Ultimately my client and I both prevailed. But that single exercise came at a price
in the form of very high frustration and project delays.
Yet the outcome of that entire COMPLIANCE episode splintered off into something
bigger and better and enabled me to semi retire within 24 months of setting that entire
play into motion.
As written b4.
The bump in the road did NOT REALLY come from the client.
It came from the medical ethics committee that he was a part of. As such he had
a professional responsibility to abide by their Code of Conduct.
It just so happened that the Code of Conduct remained silent on a technical issue
that I was able to capitalize on in a significant way.
It's one of the biggest SEO digital marketing agency profit loopholes that an experienced
digital marketing eye would see, especially if he's worked in both the Offline & Online
world. I think that was the key for me.
Someone strictly dwelling in the OFFLINE brick and Mortar medical or business
would be more prone to intellectual paralysis of the concept that I proposed
to the compliance boss at the time.
The guy was a card carrying dinosaur, a T-Rex, but he was the boss. So we got a
Big Fat No to innovating an entire medical industry growth pattern from the top
down in a sweeping way.
The insult to injury was the President of the Ethics Committee could not prove me
wrong within our email exchanges regarding the technical issue which actually favored
his industry. Instead he relied on the pessimistic mantra of ...
"When in doubt do without".
Plus being a foreigner didn't help matters much for me at the time with the medical
body. I was an outsider noticing something of merit that the insiders regarded as ...
"...possibly borderline unethical by medical professional standards- Untested legal
grounds".
Being a foreigner did help me with my client however, because as a doctor he was
also a PHYSICIAN ENTREPRENEUR. Yes there is a difference between a doctor
and a physician entrepreneur TRUST ME!
Ultimately like it or not Healthcare is a BUSINESS, and this client understood that
to a high degree. He had this alternate mindset that made all the difference.
"You Americans are SO FAR AHEAD of us about these kinds of business things -
so I'll give it a go.. lets just keep this quiet"
I had a higher end Statement of Work within my proposal which initially gave my client
PAUSE due to perceived ethics concerns.
But he liked the proposal, and I knew it.
Because a key part of the proposal clearly allowed him to rake in MORE MONEY
systematically by avoiding NHS patients.
Money hungry UK doctors dislike NHS patients.
He was very FOCUSED on that part of the proposal. I knew how to manage that massive
bit of "NON NHS side hustle money" for him.
This equated to BIG UNDER THE RADAR MONEY for him.
NO OTHER SEO Practitioner had EVER once had that kind of conversation with him,
which is PRECISELY why he replied to my Cold Yet Targeted Email.
This was a doctor who got a ton of emails and people knocking on his door DAILY at the
time - to sell him SEO services. He basically IGNORED them ALL.
He was a top doctor and super smart and he was not easy to deal with because he came
from a haggle culture ethnically. As an American I was not used to that at the time.
The sales process with him disarmed me quite a bit. Plus it was longer than expected
because of the COMPLIANCE beureacracy involved.
--------------------
Writing this within a forum seems more stiff than the process actually is - but I just wanted to
offer a sense by taking a flashback down memory lane.
The lesson of the story is that often times you can find Profit Loopholes surrounding bits and cracks
of industry rules and business practices, or even so called "Best Practices".
These are not really rules with real teeth. Sometimes you can bend them at will and you'll have
great results.
Often these things simply have not yet caught up with technology.
Another lesson of course is the lesson of persaverence when confronted with obstruction.
End of FT etc rant.
Thanks OP.
